Coercive measures imposed on Syria by some countries violate international law

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Hussam Eddin Ala said that the resort of some countries to impose a siege, embargo, or unilateral coercive economic and financial measures against other countries contradicts the UN Charter and violates international law.

In a statement during the 39th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council dedicated to discuss the Special Rapporteur’s report on the negative effects of unilateral coercive measures on human rights, Ala said that Syria welcomed the report’s emphasis on the need to lift unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria, which cannot be justified in any way as they affect a wide range of economic, financial and service sectors, and affect negatively the Syrians’ living conditions

Ala clarified that lifting the coercive measures imposed on Syria will address the humanitarian conditions in a sustainable manner, create a shift from the relief to the development stage, facilitate the reconstruction process and ensure the return of displaced Syrians who were forced to leave their areas and houses due to terrorism and the coercive measures.

Ala stressed the need for overcoming the obstacles imposed on bank and financial transfers and finding means to free Syrian frozen funds abroad which were stated in the practical recommendations of the special report.

The ambassador pointed out that the continued imposition of these measures and linking them to unacceptable political conditions raises ethical questions about the truth of the alleged humanitarian concerns that some countries have been repeating and the objectives they pursue which blatantly contradict their resort to imposing coercive economic measures that aggravates the humanitarian conditions of the Syrians and impedes national and international efforts to respond to their humanitarian needs.